An Analytical Study of Spirituality Movement and a Moral-Based Approach for Spiritual Higher Education

The present paper, using an analytical method, is an attempt to study the new spirituality movement to find out a useful approach concerning spiritual higher education programs. In the first place, attempts have been made to offer a comprehensive definition of the concept of spirituality. Hence, a wide range of meanings of spirituality has been given and its conceptual distinctions with related concepts, such as religion, have been studied. In order to introduce an appropriate approach, the service learning approach, which is used in spiritual education programs, was critically evaluated. Given its incapability to solve many problems, an alternative approach has been proposed based on the concept of knowledge with emphasis on its moral foundations. The main contention of the present paper is that the new approach is capable of fulfilling the objectives of spiritual higher education in a more appropriate manner. Despite some concerns about this current in Iran and the existence of some inherent shortcomings in this intellectual current, based on its main concepts and fundamental notions, one can assess this current in line with Islamic objectives and values and so it may be considered a new educational opportunity.